Avalanche forecast

Avalanche forecast

Payette Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Dry loose avalanches or sluffs are possible on slopes steeper than 35 degrees above 7,000 feet, and wet loose avalanches are possible below 7,000 feet. Use caution in exposed terrain and in and around terrain traps and gullies where snow can concentrate deeper and either push you around or bury you.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Dry loose avalanches pose the most threat and may run in the upper foot of the snowpack on slopes steeper than 35 degrees that face the northern end of the compass.  Use extra caution on all aspects, especially on long steep sustained slopes or in and around exposed terrain like rocks and cliffs or other terrain traps like chutes and gullies. Temperatures have been warm in the mountains over the last 48 hours and have risen above freezing yesterday afternoon to 41 degrees at Secesh Summit (6,540') at noon.  As you climb higher and the temps drop the potential for this problem will increase.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Temperatures in the lower elevations are going to climb up to the upper 30s and continue to produce light snow through the day, yet it may be wet if it stays white. This wet snow and the warm temps will bump up the potential for wet loose avalanches on slopes steeper than 35 degrees below 7,000 feet.  Maintain good travel protocols like one at a time on steep slopes.

Avalanche Discussion

Today's forecast is sponsored by Brundage Mountain Resort. Thank You for supporting the Payette Avalanche Center!

Overnight the Southern end (Tamarack 3") of our advisory area picked up more snow than the Northern end (Brundage 2"). The riding and sliding conditions continue to improve, and the snowpack is generally stable despite some questionable or poor structure. Spring is definitely showing its head and at times our snowpack reflects that, yet we are still left with a winter-like snowpack at upper elevations.

Upon excavating our test pits Wednesday, we visibly noticed weak crust facet combinations on solar aspects and a couple of layers of buried surface hoar that were visible to the naked eye on Northern aspects which led us to believe that we might get propagation results. This poor structure on both solar and shaded aspects produces failures in compression yet lacked the energy to propagate fractures in an extended column.

Given the chance of things to be different across the mountain landscape, or spatial variability in the snowpack, and the presence of poor structure in the snowpack it is wise to incorporate some room for error and maintain good travel protocols like one at a time on steep slopes, and keeping your eyes on your partners. Winds have calmed over the last 48 hours and wind slabs should not pose much of a problem however caution at ridgetop in upper elevation exposed terrain with visible wind effect sigs and in and around cornices is still prudent. Make sure you cover all of your basics and carry a transceiver, shovel, and probe on your person while having fun in the powder.  Cooler temps and a over a foot of snow this weekend will elevate the avalanche danger.